By Pecho Mama
As the title suggests – Oedipus Electronica is a modern-day, gig-theatre take on Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex. It is more than just a simple retelling of the story – kills his dad, shags his mum – in a contemporary context, though. It is a gripping gut-punch of a show, blending drama, dance and music. It is both entirely original and true to the tragedy of its ancient antecedent.
Jo (Mella Faye, who also directs and designs) is a playwright, struggling with a commission. Lai (Kwame Bentil) is her husband. Somewhere – perhaps in Jo’s head, perhaps on the streets of London – their long-lost son Oedi (Ryan David Harston) is in deep trouble with a dangerous drug dealer.
Over 75 minutes their worlds collide, as myth dictates they must. Maybe it is real, maybe it is just dictated by Jo’s tap-tapping at her laptop after inspiration strikes, maybe it is driven by the pulsating score – played live by Don Bird on drums and Alex Stanford on keys – that accompanies her typing. Maybe Oedi is happy to play along. Maybe he wants to write his own story instead.
Under Tanya Stephenson’s and Clare O’Donoghue’s stark, strobe-y lighting on Faye’s scaffold of a set, Oedipus Electronica emerges as both a thrilling tale of crime and passion and a thought-provoking exploration of authorship and autonomy.
In 2016, band-cum-theatre-company Pecho Mama had a hit with Medea Electronica, a contemporary, musical interpretation of the ancient Greek tragedy by Euripides. Now, the group repeats the feat.
This performance is brought to the University of Essex as part of the 30th Anniversary Celebrations of the Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies.
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VenueLakeside Theatre
Address University of Essex Colchester Campus, Colchester, Essex,
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Wivenhoe House Hotel
Surrounded by pretty manicured woodland and tranquil lakes, this 18th-century house is next to the University of Essex campus. It offers a unique brasserie restaurant, luxurious accommodation, free WiFi and free parking on site..
Sail Makers Cottage
Sail Makers Cottage offers pet-friendly accommodation in Rowhedge. The property is 40 km from Southend-on-Sea and free private parking is offered. Ipswich is 27 km from Sail Makers Cottage, while Colchester is 4.
Best Western The Rose
Situated within a 14th-century coaching inn, the award-winning Best Western Rose and Crown Hotel is located just a 15 minutes walk from the centre of historic Colchester..
Crofters Rest
Crofters Rest is a holiday home featuring a garden with a barbecue, located in Colchester in the Essex Region. The unit is 6 km from Colchester Zoo. Flatford is 11 km from Crofters Rest, while Essex County Hospital is 1.
A Hideaway Retreat Bed
A Hideaway Retreat offers bed and breakfast accommodation in the St Johns area of Colchester, an 8-minute drive from Colchester Town Train Station and a short distance from local amenities..
Brook Red Lion Hotel
The Red Lion Hotel was built in 1465 and is in the centre of Colchester, Britains oldest recorded town. The historical building has original Tudor features, including wooden beams. The Red Lion Hotel is one of the oldest inns in the area.
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